WILLIAMSTOWN — Mary Elizabeth (Downs) Farnsworth, 87, died on Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, at the Gifford Medical Center in Randolph, Vt., after a short illness.

Mary was born Feb. 27, 1925, in Barre, Vt., the daughter of Frank and Mary (Morse) Downs, of Williamstown, Vt. She attended grammar and high school with her four sisters and brother in Williamstown, and graduated from Green Mountain College, then worked for the Barre Times Argus.

On June 29, 1946, Mary married Sherward Sprague Farnsworth, of East Brookfield. Following their marriage, they made their first home in Williamstown where they raised four sons. In 1960, the family moved to Essex Junction where Mary was known for her sewing skills at the church bazaars, her handmade ties and knitting, for her mischievous wit and her love of friends and family. Mary loved the outdoors where she enjoyed golfing, snowshoeing, downhill and cross-country skiing.

In 1991, Mary and Sherward relocated to Lillian, Ala., for the winter months and spent their summer months in East Brookfield, Vt., at the family homestead, the Bee Hive. In the spring of 2010, they left their close friends in Alabama and returned to Williamstown. Mary and “Woody,” her husband of 64 years, shared a deep love of their lord and a very special view of his creations. Sherward predeceased her in the spring of 2011.

Survivors include her husband’s sister, Elouie (Farnsworth), and her husband, William P. Snyder, of Lancaster, Pa.; her son Sherward G. Farnsworth and his wife, Ellen, of Shelburne, Vt.; her son Leonard O. Farnsworth III and his wife, Elizabeth, of Lincoln, Vt.; her son James F. Farnsworth and his wife, Gretchen, of Moretown, Vt.; her son Jon F. Farnsworth and his wife, Alison, of Colchester, Vt.; four grandsons, Leonard Owen Farnsworth IV, Adam Frederic Farnsworth, Michael Gregory Randall Farnsworth and Christopher James Farnsworth; three great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and other relatives.

She was predeceased by her four sisters, Dorothy Graham and her husband, Donald, of Williamstown, Ruth MacKenzie and her husband, George, of Wilder, Vt., Jessie Wilcox and her husband, James, Bernice Kynor and her husband, Dick; her brother, Richard Downs, and his wife, Eleanor; her husband Sherward’s two brothers, Leonard Owen Farnsworth Jr. and Durward Farnsworth and his wife, Edith; and her sister-in-law Elaine (Farnsworth) and her husband, Howard Tyrrell.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Feb. 16 at the First Congregational Church in Pond Village, Brookfield, Vt. Friends and family will be received immediately following the service. A memorial service will be during the summer with interment in East Brookfield Cemetery.

Friends may make contributions in memory of Mary to First Congregational Church, P.O. Box 406, Brookfield, VT 05036.

The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to the wonderful people at The Gardens in Williamstown, Mayo Manor and Health Care in Northfield, and Gifford Medical Center.

Online condolences may be left at www.dayfunerals.com. Arrangements are being taken care of by Day Funeral Home Inc. of Randolph, Vt.